Duct geometry measurement tool

Abstract

A measurement tool for use in creating a customized duct segment for connecting existing adjacent HVAC ducts. The tool includes a handheld unit and a flag, each of which is configured for mounting to a respective duct. A measuring unit, such as a laser rangefinder, of the tool is capable of measuring a linear distance between the unit and the flag, and thus between reference points on the HVAC ducts, such as corners, to which the handheld unit and flag are mounted. The tool is configured to measure and store in its memory multiple distance measurements between multiple reference points. A method of using the tool involves gathering enough measurements between enough reference points, such as corners, that the required configuration for the customized duct segment can be determined, e.g. by CAD/CAM equipment. The tool may include a data port for transmitting gathered data for CAD/CAM purposes.

1 . A duct geometry measurement tool comprising:
 a flag configured to be mounted to a first duct in a first predetermined spatial relationship to a first reference point of said first duct; and   a handheld unit configured to be mounted to a second duct in a second predetermined spatial relationship to a second reference point of said second duct, said handheld unit comprising:
 a distance measuring unit operable to measure a linear distance between said first and second reference points as a function of positions of said flag, said handheld unit, and said first and second predetermined spatial relationships; and 
 a memory operably connected to said distance measuring unit for storing measured distances. 
   
   
   
       2 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 1 , wherein said flag defines a channel configured to receive a first portion of said first duct that includes said first reference point. 
   
   
       3 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 2 , wherein said channel is configured to receive a corner portion of said first duct, said first duct being substantially rectangular in cross-section. 
   
   
       4 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 1 , wherein said flag comprises substantially planar first, second and third sides positioned orthogonally to one another, said flag comprising at least one magnet for mounting the flag to a metallic duct. 
   
   
       5 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 1 , wherein said handheld unit defines a channel configured to receive a second portion of said second duct that includes said second reference point. 
   
   
       6 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 5 , wherein said channel is configured to receive a corner portion of said second duct, said second duct being substantially rectangular in cross-section. 
   
   
       7 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 1 , wherein said distance measuring unit comprises a laser rangefinder. 
   
   
       8 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 1 , wherein said handheld unit comprises:
 a handle grip having a base; and   a turret releasably mounted to said base, said turret defining a channel configured to receive said second portion of said second duct that includes said second reference point.   
   
   
       9 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 8 , wherein said distance measuring unit comprises a laser rangefinder, and wherein an emitting device of said laser rangefinder is mounted on said releasably mounted turret. 
   
   
       10 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 9 , wherein said emitting device is adjustably mounted to allow rotational movement about at least two orthogonal axes. 
   
   
       11 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 10 , wherein said emitting device is mounted on a ball seated in a socket defined by said turret. 
   
   
       12 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a data communications port operably connected to said memory to transmit data corresponding to said distance stored in said memory.   
   
   
       13 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 12 , wherein said memory is configured to store a plurality of different distance measurements between a plurality of different reference points, and wherein said data communications port is configured to transmit data corresponding to said plurality of different distance measurements stored in said memory. 
   
   
       14 . A duct geometry measurement tool comprising:
 a flag configured to be mounted to a first duct in a first predetermined spatial relationship to a first reference point of said first duct; and   a handheld unit comprising:
 a handle grip supporting a base; 
 a turret mounted to said base, said turret being configured to be mounted to a second duct in a second predetermined spatial relationship to a second reference point of said second duct; 
 a distance measuring unit mounted to said turret, said distance measuring unit being operable to measure a distance between said first and second reference points as a function of a spatial relationship between said flag and said turret; 
 a memory operably connected to said distance measuring unit to store in said memory a plurality of measured distances, each of said plurality of measured distances being stored in said memory in relation to respective reference points of said first and second ducts between which each distance was measured; and 
 a data communications port operably connected to said memory to transmit data corresponding to said measured distances. 
   
   
   
       15 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 14 , wherein said turret is releasably mounted to said base. 
   
   
       16 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 15 , wherein said distance measuring unit comprises a laser rangefinder having a laser emitting device, said laser emitting device being adjustably mounted on said turret to permit alignment of said laser emitting device with said flag. 
   
   
       17 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 14 , further comprising;
 a microprocessor operably connected to said memory;   a display device operably connected to said microprocessor;   at least one button operable by a user to store a measured distance in association with specific reference points between which the measured distance was measured.   
   
   
       18 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 microprocessor-executable instructions stored in said memory to calculate a distance between said first and second reference points as a function of the first predetermined spatial relationship, the second predetermined spatial relationship, and a distance measurement taken between the flag and the handheld unit by the distance measuring unit.   
   
   
       19 . The duct geometry measurement tool of  claim 14 , wherein said tool is configured to provide an angular measurement relating said first reference point to said second reference point, and wherein said memory is configured to store said angular measurement in association with a corresponding distance measurement. 
   
   
       20 . A method for measuring geometry for a customized ductwork segment having geometry for joining specific first and second ducts, the method comprising:
 measuring a respective distance between each of a plurality of pairs of reference points of said ducts, each pair of reference points comprising a first reference point on said first duct and a second reference point on said second duct;   storing each measured distance in a memory of a computerized device; and   transmitting data corresponding to said stored distance measurements via a communications port of said computerized device.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein each reference point comprises a corner of a respective duct having a substantially rectangular cross-section. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 mounting a distance measuring unit on said first duct in a first predetermined spatial relationship to first second reference point of said first duct;   mounting a flag on said second duct in a second predetermined spatial relationship to said second reference point of said second duct; and   storing each respective distance measurement in a memory of a computerized tool in association with respective reference points of said first and second ducts between which each distance was measured;   wherein measuring each distance comprises:
 operating said distance measuring unit to obtain a distance measurement between said flag and said distance measuring unit; and 
 calculating said distance between said reference points as a function of the first predetermined spatial relationship, the second predetermined spatial relationship, and a distance measurement taken between the flag and the handheld unit by the distance measuring unit.